Meat chopping machine



June 3, 1941. s. GRoNlcl-I MEAT CHOPPING MACHINE original Filed Aug. 12. 31959 QN \N\ 3m N l Nw f mit W v @NW w Svmw m ww S. mm .NN H n 7/ Wh.

Reued .lune 3, 1941 Sam Gronich, Los Angeles, Calif,

Original No. 2,222,614, dated November 26, 1940, ySerial No. 289,845, August 12, 1939. Application for reissue November 29, 1940, Serial No. 367,833

(Cl. 14S-,489)

11 Claims.

` This invention pertains to grinders, more particularly to those of the meat chopper type.

In the conventional type of meat grinder, the cuter end of the worm has a tendency to oscillate. because of poor support, which allows the flutes on the worm andthe flutes in the casing to come into contact with each other, which causes rapid wear and also causes particles of ymetaly to mix with the meat.

In this improved grinder, stationary, nonro tatable bearing means is provided extending along the axis of the worm, which furnishes,a true axial support upon which the worm turns,

thereby preventing oscillation of the worm and` consequently eliminating all wear of the aforementioned flutesy thatthe worm would otherwise cause. The bearing means provided by this invention also reduces wear of the driving shaft of the worm, which has hitherto been a serious defect in meat grinders. These defects in wearing quality cause the oscillation of the rotary parts to become progressively worse, until, in a relatively short time, the fiuted parts become useless and have to be'replaced. lThis grinder is also constructed in such a manner as to elimi'- nate wear due to endwise thrust of the worin.

In the conventional type of grinder, the cut-` ting plate and knife are jammed against each other by a clamping ring, and in turn jammed against the front end of the worm, which in turn jams against the back end of the cylinder; this being the method now in use to hold these parts reasonably secure. l

In the grinder hereinafter described and claimed, the` front of the axis shaft, the main bearing means, is supported by the perforated cutting plate, and this plate is tightened against the shoulder in the front of the` cylinder by the ring, and to eliminate the point of friction between the cutting knife, and this plate, a spring pressure is used which keeps the knife in proper position at all times.,and at the same time minimiz the friction in the meat grinder. Because this extra friction does not exist in this grinder, there is practically no heating of the meat as it passes through the cutting plate( In the conventional type of grinder, the friction between the cutting knife and plate generates a great amount of heat which has a tendency to discolor and taint thev meat in a comparatively short time.

In the conventional grinder, the driving gear is solid `and the driving shaft of the Worm is not centered properly, and is more or less floating.

In this grinder, the driving gear has an open center allowing the hub which supports the axis shaft to come through and center all the worklng parts so as to make it feasible to arrange all the parts in their proper cooperative relation.

By eliminating all of the points of objectionable friction in this grinder, it has been made possible 'to use much less power for a given amount of work, 'allowing cheaper and much more satisfactory operation of grinding equipment.

Owing to the improvements above pointed out,

which it is among the objects of this invention to secure, and to other features of invention which will hereinafter appear, the grinder provided by this invention Ipossesses a. long wearing quality and operates in a more satisfactory manner than prior devices of its class.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which f illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, now reduced to practice- Fig. 1 is' a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical mid-section.

Fig. 2 is a partial section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 5 is a side elevation separately showing the bushing shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1. v

Referring in detail to the drawing, the casing i portion of the device is shown as comprising a motor casing lil furnished with an attaching base Il, said motor casing having a lateral extension I2 constituting a gear casing. Said gear casing l2, in turn, supports aitubular or somewhat truste-conical hollow bracket li3 which is furnished with an attaching flange il whereby, by the use of cap screws I5, said bracket is secured to said gear casing i2. The grinder casing i6 is secured to and sustained by said bracket I3.

The means for holding the various parts of the device in their assembled relation, and the operating mechanism, willl now be described in Said hanger plate 39 has through it an opening 3|. and the arbor :s is furnished with a tubulily secured to it an extension 35 having a cir/ ular exterior contour but having through it a square passage within which is slidablyfitted the squared end portion 99 of a tubular coupler shaft 31. The outer end portion of said shaft 31 is externally screw threaded and has screwed on to it the inner end portion of the tubular body of the grinding worm 39.

The inner end portion of the tubular coupler shaft 31 has its vinternal diameter enlarged to receive a needle bearing 39 interposed between it and the stationary shaft 41.

The grinding casing I6 has a circular recess |63: in its rear end, which encloses, in a slightly spaced relation, the inner end of the grinding worm 39. The ball bearing structure 82 and 13 (hereinafter described more in detail) maintain the tubular shaft structure in a rotatablebut longitudinally fixed relation to the axis shaft 41, hence by adjusting properly the screw 33, against which the inner end of the axis shaft abuts, the worm 39 is properly positionable to maintain its inner end in a slightly spaced. frctionless relation to the bottom of the recess its.

The grinder casing I9 is furnished with a tapered, tubular extension 4I which fits within the extension I3 of the gear casing and is secured therein by means of a clamping screw 42 having radial operating arms 43. The hopper portion 44 of the casing I6 abuts against the end ofthe extension I3, ,said extension being thickest in its together with its extension 36 and the worm 38 constitute a tubular shaft structure which is furnished with an axial passage 46, through which extends, with a very loose fit, a non-rotatable axis shaft 41 having a squared inner end portion 49 which abuts against the head of the adjusting screw 33t Said shaft 41 is continued to the outer end of the device, whereit is Asurrounded by-a sleeve 50 which ts within the hub portion of I the non-rotatable grinder disk i furnished with meat-delivery passages 52. The outer end of the grinder casing i5 has an annular shoulder 53 inside its mouth portion, against which the disk 5I is tightly held by means of an apertured cap 54 which is screwed on to the outer end portion of said casing by the aid of a hand wheel 55 carried by said cap.

' In spaced relations to its ends, said shaft 41 is furnished with a diametrically enlarged portion 60. Through the grinding worm 39 extends an elongated axial chamber 6|, a. part of which is occupied by said shaft portion 60, there being a slight annular clearance maintained around this portion of the shaft. Between the annular The aforementioned transmission gear y21 has shoulder afforded by the inner end of said shaft portion 69 and the adjacent end of the coupler shaft 31 is interposed the ball bearing structure 82 of the two concentric rings type with a series of balls in the intervening raceway. 'I'he inner ring of this bearing structure is in a fixed relation to the small shaft portion 41 and also abuts against the annular shoulder provided by the adjacent enlarged shaft section 49.

The outer bearing ring occupies an annular recess provided for it in the worm 39 and is gripped in this position by the adjacent end of the screwed in tubular transmission shaft 31, this end of said tubular shaft being interiorly beveled at 95 to avoid frictional contact with the non-rotating inner ring of the bearing.

Beyond the outer end of the enlarged shaft portion 59, there is mounted within the worm 38, an externally screw threaded terminal shaft section formed by a bushing 10 which forms the outer end portion of the tubular, rotatable shaft structure which surrounds the stationary axis shaft 41, and which includes the worm 38. Said bushing 19 is screwed into the diametricaily enlarged outer lend portion 1I of the elongated chamber 6I within the worm 38 and its inner end The rotary cutter blades 15 are carried by ahub 18 which is slightly slidable on the diametrically reduced square outer end portion 11 of the terminal shaft section or bushing 19, so as to slide somewhat (as far as the shoulder 19a) in relation'to this shaft section, but be positively rotated thereby. In order to keep the cutter blades 15 in a proper contactual relation to the inner face of the disk Ei-a spiral compression spring 19 presses the rotary cutter, an angularly cup shaped washer 89 being interposed between said springand the hub 1B of said cutter.

The bottom of said cup-shaped washer B9 has through it a square opening through which the square part 11 of the bushing10 extends with a working fit. The part of the bushing which is surrounded by all except the outer end portion of the spring 19 is unthreaded and has its diameter somewhat reduced in order to afford an annular clearance for said spring to occupy.

The ball bearings 62 and 13, located respectively at the inner and the outer end of the enlarged portion 60 of the axis yshaft 41 not only eliminate friction in relation to the periphery of saidy shaft but also greatly reduce end thrust friction.

Referring to additional structural details, the extension 35 of thetransmission gear 21 is furnished with an attaching flange 35a, and screws 35h to extend through said gear and are screwed into threaded openings through said flange` The basal portion of the gear casing extension i3 is annularly recessed to receive said flange 35a and also to make room for a resilient washer or gasket 35e which aids in making an olif-tight connection between the gear casing and the grinder section of the casing structure. I

One of the meritorious features of the invention resides in the efncient manner in which the meat or other substance being ground is protected from having any lubricating substance mingled with it. Nevertheless, no appreciable heat is generated by friction, one reason for this being that all the thrust caused by the reaction of the meat upon the worm 38 and knives '115 is absorbed by the' annular shoulder. 1l at the outer end of the diametrically enlarged portion 6l of the axis shaft I1.

When the grinder is in operation, the reaction of the meat being ground upon the rotary cutter knives 15, as the meat is severed between said knives and the inner face of the disk causes the hub 16 to retract the cup-shaped washer B0 against the opposition of spring 19. This retraction may continue until the outer face of the bottom of the said washer is flush with the outer end of the worm, said washer being arrested at this point by the shoulders 18a. Hence, during the grinding operation, a substantially continuous well sealed surface is presented between the bushing 1li and the worm to keep the meat from working into any part of the bearing structure.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the subject matter claimed.

It is claimed: f

1. In a grinder, a casing structure provided with an elongated passage of a generally circular cross section and made up of sections of different diameters, a portion of said passage forming a grinding chamber, a non-rotatable shaft, supported by said casing and extending axially through said passage, a series of tubular members individually journaled upon said shaft and connected with each other to rotate in unison, one of said members being a.` grinding worm located within said grinding chamber and constituting a member adjacent to one end of saidv series of rotatable members, a motor, and means operatively connecting with said motor the rotatable member of said series which is located farthest from said worm.

.2.,In a grinder, a casing structure provided with an elongated passage of a generally circular cross section and made up of sections of different diameters, a portion of said passage forming a grinding chamber, a non-rotatable shaft supported by said casing and extending axially* 3,The subject matter of claim 2 and, an adjustable abutment for non-rotatable shaft located at its inner end and in axial alinement therewith. Y

4. In a device of the kind described, a motor casing having a gear casing' extension, a hanger within said casing, an arbor supported by said hanger in a fixed relation thereto, a support having a frusto-conical recess a't its outer end fas'- tened to said gear casing, a grinder casing having at one end a tapered tubular extension projecting into and secured within said frusta-conical recess, said grinder casing having at its opposite end a discharge opening furnished internally with an annular outwardly directed shoulder, a disk provided with meat discharge openings, means clamping said disk against said shoulder, said disk having a central opening, an axis shaft non-rotatablymounted with one of its end portions mounted in said opening of said disk and its opposite end portion mountedvin the aforesaid arbor, said axis shaft supporting a rotary shaft structure including a meat cutting woi'm within said grinding casing, a gear rotatably mounted upon said arbor, an outwardly directed extension secured to said gear in a concentric manner, said extension having a square passage through it, a coupler shaft rotatably mounted on said axis shaft and slidably fitted within said extension of said gear, and a grinding worm rotatably supported upon said axis shaft and secured concentrically to said coupler shaft to be driven thereby.

5. In a meat grinder, a casing structure including a grinding chamber. a gear casing, and an intermediate section whereby the portion of the casing structure containing said grinding chamber is connected with said gear casing; an axis shaft extending through said grinding chamber and said intermediate casing section; an arbor,

" hanger means whereby said arbor is non-rotatably supported by the casing structure, said axis through said passage, a series of tubular members individually journaled upon said shaft and connected with each other to rotate in unison,

. one of said members being a grinding Worm located within said grinding chamber and constituting a member adjacentto one end of said series of rotatable members, a motor, means operatively connecting with said motor the rotatable member of said series which is located farthest from said` worm, a disk having meat delivery apertures and iixedly mounted in the delivery end portion of said grinding chamber, said disk having a central aperturewheren i'slsupported the adjacent end portion of the aforesaid non-rotaia` able shaft, a rotary cutter positioned to act with a shearing cut over the inner face of said disk, means whereby said cutter is mounted in a splined relation to the aforesaid tubularrotatable shaft to rotate therewith but vary somewhat in its position with relation to the length thereof, andspring means carried by rotatable shaft structure and yieldingly pressing said cutter toward the inner face of said disk.

shaft having one of its end portions non-rotatably supported by said arbor, said arbor having an internally screwthreaded portion, a screw member in said screw threaded portion forming an abutment for the adjacent end of said axis shaft, a tubulan shaft structure journaled upon said axis shaft and including a grinding worm, said tubular shaft structure being held' against lengthwise movement in relation to said axis shaft; a gear mounted rotatably on said arbor; and means whereby said gear is operativelyconnected with said tubular shaft structure to rotate i the latter while allowing for longitudinal adjustment thereof, the aforesaid screw member being longitudinally adjustable within the arbor which contains it for the purpose of maintaining the worm in the proper longitudinal position in relation to the portion of the casing wherein it is contained.

6. The subject matter of claim 5V and,`the means whereby saidxgear is operatively connected with said tubular shaft structure consisting of a tubular extension secured to said gear and projecting centrally from one face thereof and surrounding said axis shaft, and a portion of said tubular shaft structure having a slidable, nonrotatable connection with said tubular extension.

'1. In a meat grinder, a casing structure including a grinding chamber, a gear casing, and an intermediate section whereby the portion of the casing structure containing said grinding chamber is connected with said .gear casing; and axis shaft extending through said grinding chamber casing structure, said cap clamping said disky against said annular shoulder, said axis shaft having a front end portion which projects into the central portion of said disk and is in part supported thereby, a cylindrical shaft structure surrounding said,` axis shaft and including a bushing rotatably mounted upon the portion of said axis shaft adjacent to said disk, said bushing having an outer end portion which is square in cross-section and meets shoulders at its inner end, a rotary cutter having a hub with a square opening through it whereby it is slidably mounted upon said square.portion of said bushing to rotate therewith and be limited in its inward sliding movements by the last recited shoulders,

a grinding worm in the aforesaid grinding chamenlarged in its outer end portion to havethe inner portion of said bushing screwed into it, thus providing an externally circular clearance around the square portion of said bushing and for a short space inwardly adjacent thereto, said bushing being diametrically reduced throughout said short space, a spiral compression spring around said bushing'and occupying said space, and a cup shaped washer encircling the outer portion of said spring and having through its bottom a square opening, thus providing it with an apertured portion which fits slidably around the aforesaid square portion of said bushing and which is pressed by said spring against the hub of said rotary cutter to keep the latter in a proper operative relation to said disk. Y

8. 'I'he subject matter of claim 'I and, the shoulders of said bushing adjacent to its square shaft, means for eifecting longitudinal adjust-` ment of the rotary member and non-rotatable shaft with respect to the casing, and means for I driving the rotary member.

10. In a grinder, a casing structure having a passage, one part of which forms a grinding chamber, a non-rotatable shaft extending through said passage and supported, and held against lateral movement, by the casing at both ends of the grinding chamber, a rotary tubular member within the casing passage andjournaled on the non-rotatable shaft, saidl rotary member including as a part thereof a worm having an open ended passage 'extending from one to the other end of the worm for receiving the nonrotatable shaft, means for holding the rotary member against longitudinal movement on the non-rotatable shaft, means for effecting longitudinal adjustment of the rotary member and non-rotatable-shaft as a unit with respect to the casing, and means for driving the rotary member.

11. In a grinder, a casing structure having a passage. one part of which forms a grinding chamber, a non-rotatable shaft extending through said passage. a rotary tubular member within the casing passage and journaled on the non-rotatable shaft, said rotary member including as a part thereof a worm having an openV ended passage extending from one end to the other of the worm for receiving the non-'rotatportion arresting the inward movement of said through said passage andsupported by said structure, a rotary tubular member within the able shaft, an extrusion cutter plate adjustably fixed to the casing and in which the non-rotatable shaft has a bearing, a cutter element xed to the rotary shaft, to rotate therewith, and set against the extrusion plate. means for holding the rotary member against longitudinal movement on,the non-rotatable shaft and resilient means interposed between the rotary member and the cutter elements to permit an adjustment of the cutter elements longitudinally of the nonrotatable shaft relatively to the rotary member.

SAM GRONICH. 

